Professional chair arm rest and control



Dec. 31, 1963 l. A. BOSACK PROFESSIONAL CHAIR ARM REST AND comm.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 20, 1961 mmvron new/1v A- 805A cx BY @WMM,

United States Patent 3,116,093 PRGFEESIGNAL CHAIR REST AND CGNTROL Erwin A. liosaclr, Cheelrtowaga, N.Y., assignor to American Gptical Company, Southbridge, Mass. Filed Nov. 20, 1% Ser. No. 153,617 7 Claims. 3!. 297-417) This invention relates to arm rest mechanisms and pertains more particularly to such a device specifically adapted for use in conjunction with an ophthalmic chair or the like.

In conjunction with ophthalmic chairs and the like, it is desirable at times to have the same provided with arm rests while at other times the arm rest may interfere with the doctors movements or with instrumentation utilized in conjunction with the patient. It is therefore of primary concern in connection with the present invention to provide an arm rest assembly particularly adapted for use in conjunction with an ophthalmic chair or the like which is of simple, compact and efficient construction so as to operate efficiently as an arm rest when desired and which is readily disposed in an upwardly swung, out of the way position when its use is not required.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved arm rest mechanism substantially as described and for the purposes as aforementioned wherein a single post member is utilized to mount the arm rest, the arm rest being disposed in cantilever relationship from the post and the post itself being adjustable to properly initially orient the arm rest relative to the chair structure.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved arrn rest of the character described which is of generally hollow form and which houses therewithin a locking and release mechanism cooperable with a post member whereby the arm rest may be swung into and out of operative position, as desired.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved arm rest assembly substantially as set forth hereinabove which embodies upper and lower housing ections detachably secured together and wherein the upper section may be readily removed for inspection, repair or cleaning of the mechanism disposed within the lower section.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the description hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view showing a portion of an ophthalmic chair or the like having an arm rest constructed in accordance with the present invention associated therewith;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional taken through the arm rest shown in FIG. 1, illustrating details of internal construction of the assembly;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the assembly shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 but with the top housing member removed therefrom;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view similar to FIG. 2 but showing the arm rest in the upwardly swung, out of the way position;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged vertical section taken substantially along the plane of section line 55 in FIG. 2 further illustrating the details of the internal construction of the arm rest assembly;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged vertical section taken substantially along the plane of section line 66 in FIG. 2 showing details of construction of the locking and release lever mechanism; and

FIG. 7 is an end view taken as indicated by section line 77 in FIG. 5.

Referring now more particularly to FIG. 1, the arm rest assembly as shown therein is indicated generally by the reference character 10 and as applied to the side 12 of an ophthalmic chair, a portion of which is designated generally by the reference character 14. The arm rest itself consists essentially of a lower housing assembly 16 and an upper housing assembly 18 detachably secured thereto in a manner hereinafter more particularly set forth. The arm rest which is mounted to the chair 14 by means of a post indicated generally by reference character 26 in FIG. 1 which is rigidly affixed to the side wall 12 of the chair 14 and which projects laterally and upwardly outwardly therefrom, the purpose of which will be presently set forth.

From FIG. 3, it will be apparent that the side 12 of the chair is provided with an outstanding boss 22 which serves as a contilever support for the post 26) and it will also be manifest that the arm rest assembly 10, and more particularly the lower housing assembly 16 thereof is in turn contilevered from this post 26 to normally extend forwardly therefrom in a generally horizontal attitude substantially as is shown. The alternate position of the arm rest is as shown in FIG. 4, reference being had to this figures of the drawings in detail hereinafter. The lower housing section 16 is provided with a bottom wall portion 24 and upstanding side walls 26 and 23 preferably integral therewith inasmuch as it is desirable to form the housing section 16 as an integral casting of such metal as aluminum for example. The side wall 26 is provided with a pair of vertically extending and laterally inwardly projecting buttress portions 38 and 32 and the opposite side wall 28 is likewise provided with a registering pair of such buttress portions 34 and 36. A pair of strap members 38 and 40, see particularly FIGS. 2, 3 and 5, bridge the upper ends of the buttresses 3E) and 32 and a similar pair of strap members 44 and 46 bridge between the buttress members 34 and 36. Each of these strap members is apertured adjacent its opposite ends and such ends of the strap members are fastened to the respective buttresses 3t), 32, 24 and 36 by screwthreaded fasteners 48. The intermediate portion of each such strap member is of generally semicircular configuration as designated by reference character 56 for fixedly receiving therewithin a corresponding end of a hinge pin element 52 which serves to rotatably mount the latch and release bar assembly indicated generally by the reference character 54.

The bar 54 is of elongate form and has provided, adjacent one end thereof, an enlarged boss portion56 which rotatably receives the aforementioned hinge pin 52 in an intermediate portion thereof between the pairs of buttresses 36 and 32 and 34 and 36. This end of the bar is provided with .a depending arm 53 which carries a rigidly projecting latch pawl 66 for cooperative engagement with an abutment and latch collar 62 hereinafter more particulariy described.

The forwardly projecting portion 64 of the bar extends beyond the upturned forward end wall 66 of the lower housing assembly 16 and terminates therebeyond in a downwardly projecting finger tab portion 68. Preferably, the lower surface 7b of the finger tab portion 68 is substantially coplanar with or at least smoothly merged with the lower surface 72 of the bottom wall 24 of the housing assembly 16. However, a slight interruption therebetween as indicated by the reference character 74 is desirable in order that a persons fingers, by gripping, can readily determine the presence of the finger tab portion 68.

Each of the buttresses 32 and 36 is provided with a forward projection such as those indicated by reference characters 76 and 78 and the free ends of a generally U-shaped spring element indicated by the reference character 80 is secured to these projections by screwthreaded fasteners 82. The spring device 86 is provided with a pair of generally parallel legs 84 and 86 which straddle the bar 54 and are interconnected by an integral bight portion 88 and with each of the free ends of the legs 84 and 86 being looped as at 943 to be secured properly by the fasteners 82 and suitable washers associated therewith. The bar portion 64 is provided on its underside with a downwardly projecting lug 92, see particularly FIG. 6, which is straddled by a U-shaped wear member 94 whose upstanding legs are apertured in register with an opening through the portion 92 and receive a split pin element 96 for retaining the Wear member on the lug 92. The bottom wall 24 of the lower housing section 16 is provided with a pair of upstanding guide legs 98 and 1% which receive the wear member 94 and which serve to locate a cushioning or sound deadening pad 1tl2 substantially as is shown The action of the spring 86) is such as to seat the wear member 94 upon the cushioning pad 102 and project the finger tab portion 68 at the free end of the bar 54 in the position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. In this position, the pawl member 60 is operatively engaged with the collar member 62.

The upper housing section 18 is preferably formed of synthetic material or the like and forms a cover for the lower housing section 16 as well as the arm rest proper. The upper housing section 18 is provided with a top wall 1% and depending side walls 108 and 110. The forward portion 112, as can be seen best in FIG. 2, of the upper housing section 18 projects beyond the forward end of the lower housing section 16 and thereby overhangs and partially covers the finger tab portion 68 of the latch and release bar mechanism. A detachable cover plate 114 may be provided on the underside of the front portion 112 of the upper section 18, substantially as is shown in FIG. 2, and it will be seen, from FIGS. 2 and 3, that the lower section 16 is provided with a plurality of lugs 116, 118 and 129, the latter on the upwardly extending rear wall 122, which cooperate with nut members rigid with the upper section 18 and the screwthread fasteners such as the screw 124 for detachably securing the upper housing section to the lower housing section.

As is shown more clearly in FIGS. and 7, the D-shaped shank 13% of the post 20 projects completely through the boss 22 on the chair sidewall 12 and the inner end thereof passes through a D-shaped opening in the mounting bracket by 132, the other leg 133 of which is fixed, as by fasteners 134, to the chair frame structure. A preload cup 135 is engaged over the inner end of the post 26 and is adjustably fixed to the post by a screwthread member 136, the end of the post being tapped to receive the same. The foot of cup 135 bears against bracket leg 132 and thus maintains the engagement between leg 132 and the post. The openings in bracket leg 133 for passing the fasteners 134 are oversize to permit some shifting of the bracket relative to the chair frame. This action permits of adjustment of the arm rests to the proper positions, normally horizontal. The outer end of the post 20 is headed as at 133 and bears against the headed end portion 140 of a bushing member 142 pressed into the corresponding side wall 28 of the arm rest housing portion 16. It will be noted that the arm rest side wall 128 is thickened in the region receiving the bushing 142. Similarly, the opposite side wall 25 receives a bushing member 144 whose headed end 146 bears against a suitable spring washer 148 received in a recessed portion at the outer end of the boss 22 serving to preload the bushing 144 and to consequently urge the arm rest assembly to the position substantially as is shown. It will be appreciated that the bushings 142 and 144 rotatably receive the shank 130 of the post 20 so as to permit free movement of the arm rest assembly about the axis of the post.

To retain the arm rest in a desired position, the aforementioned collar 62 is utilized. For this purpose, the shank 139 of the post is provided with a flat as indicated by reference character 154) and a cooperating key 152 is received within a suitable internal keyway in the collar 62, substantially as is shown and a retaining screwthreaded fastener 154, countersunk as shown, projects through the collar 62, the key 152 and into the threaded transverse bore 156 of the shank 130. The collar 62 is provided with a transversely notched portion 158 so that it presents at one end thereof, the abutment stop portion 164 (FIG. 2) and there is provided a detent 162, see particularly FIG. 4, at the opposite end of this notch. The aforementioned pawl 69 is engageable either in the detent 162 or against the stop 16% or, as presently set forth, the pawl 60 may engage the collar 62 in any point inbetween to hold the arm in the correspondingly adjusted position.

The manner in which this latter relationship is achieved is by virtue of the fact that the spring St) has sutlicient pressure to frictionally lock the arm in the desired position. It will be noted that the post 20, see particularly FIG. 5, slants upwardly somewhat so as to throw the arm inwardly when the same is rotated to the position shown in FIG. 4 so as to be disposed closely adjacent the side wall 12 of the chair. Further, it will be appreciated that the forward extremity 112 of the upper arm rest housing portion 18 projects somewhat beyond the finger tab portion 68 so that even if a patient is gripping the chair, the doctor may trip the mechanism by engagement with the tab portion 68 to swing the arm rest upwardly.

It is to be understood that certain changes and modifications as illustrated and described may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In an ophthalmic chair or the like having a side portion, a post extending laterally from said side portion, an arm rest pivotally mounted at one end thereof to said post for movement between a generally horizontal operative position and a generally vertical out-of-the-way position, said post being inclined upwardly from said side portion to laterally inwardly deflect said arm rest as it is moved toward the stated out-of-the-way position, said arm rest comprising a housing including an upper portion and a lower portion, said upper portion being of a length greater than said lower portion so as to extend therebeyond, friction means within said housing for retaning said arm rest in adjusted positions thereof, and release mechanism for said friction means, said release mechanism including a finger tab portion positioned below said upper portion and beyond said lower portion.

2. In an ophthalmic chair or the like having a side portion, a post extending laterally from said side portion, an arm rest pivotally mounted at one end thereof to said post for movement between a generally horizontal operative position and a generally vertical out-of-the-way position, said arm rest including a lower, open-top housing portion and an upper, open-bottom housing portion detachably secured together, said lower housing portion having bushing means in its opposite side walls journalling said post therein and leaving an exposed post portion therebetween, a locking member fixed to said exposed portion of the post, and pawl means movably mounted in said lower housing portion for selective engagement with said locking member.

3. In an ophthalmic chair or the like having a side portion, a post extending laterally from said side portion, an arm rest pivotally mounted at one end thereof to said post for movement between a generally horizontal operative position and a generally vertical out-of-the-way position, said arm rest including a lower-open-top housing portion and an upper, open-bottom housing portion detachably secured together, said lower housing portion having bushing means in its opposite side walls journalling said post therein and leaving an exposed post portion therebetween, a locking member fixed to said exposed portion of the post, and pawl means movably mounted in said lower housing portion for selective engagement with said locking member, said pawl means being in the form of a bell crank pivotally mounted adjacent said locking member with one leg depending therefrom and carrying a pawl, the other leg of the bell crank extending generally horizontally away from said locking member and terminating in a finger portion for rocking the bell crank.

4. In an arm rest for ophthalmic chairs and the like, a generally rectangular, elongate housing having detachably secured upper and lower portions, said upper portion having an open bottom and being of a length greater than the length of the lower portion so as to extend therebeyond, a lock release mechanism comprising a bell crank pivotally mounted in said housing and having a leg thereof terminating in an enlarged finger portion beoynd the end of said lower housing portion but short of the extremity of said upper portion.

5. in an arm rest for ophthalmic chairs and the like, a generally rectangular, elongate housing having detachably secured upper and lower portions, said upper portion having an open bottom and being a length greater than the length of the lower portion so as to extend therebeyond, a lock release mechanism comprising a bell crank pivotally mounted in said housing and having a leg thereof terminating in an enlarged finger portion beyond the end of said lower housing portion but short of the extremity of said upper portion, said lower portion having inwardly directed buttress portions on the opposite sides thereof and at that end remote from said finger portion, said leg being pivotally mounted between said buttress portions, and spring means fixed to said buttress portions normally depressing said leg.

6. in an arm rest for ophthalmic chairs and the like, a generally rectangular, elongate housing having detachably secured upper and lower portions, said upper portion having an open bottom and being a length greater than the length of the lower portion so as to extend therebeyond, a lock release mechanism comprising a bell crank pivotally mounted in said housing and having a leg thereof terminating in an enlarged finger port-ion beyond the end of said lower housing portion but short of the extremity of said upper portion, said lower portion having upwardly directed buttress portions on the opposite sides thereof and at that end remote from said finger portion, said leg being pivotally mounted between said buttress portions, and spring means fixed to said buttress portions normally depressing said leg, said finger portion having its undersurface substantially coplanar with the undersurface of said lower housing portion.

7. In an ophthalmic chair or the like having a side portion, a post extending laterally from said side portion, an arm rest pivotally mounted at one end thereof to said post for movement between a generally horizontal operative position and a generally vertical out-of-the-way position, said arm rest comprising a housing including an upper portion and a lower portion, said upper portion being of a length greater than said lower portion so as to extend therebeyond, friction means within said housing for retaining said arm rest in adjusted positions thereof, and release mechanism for said friction means, said release mechanism including a finger tab portion positioned below said upper portion and beyond said lower portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,661,227 Murphy Dec. 1, 1953 2,767,777 Kriger et al. Oct. 23, 1956 2,767,778 Kriger et a1. Oct. 23, 1956 2,986,170 Bechtold Apr. 18, 1961 3,025,108 Teague Mar. 13, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS 699,730 Great Britain Nov. 11, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,116,093 December 31, 1963 Irwin A. Bosack It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 2, line 22, for "figures" read figure column 4, line 43, for "retaning" read retaining column 6, line 5, for "upwardly" read inwardly Signed and sealed this 2nd day of June 1964.

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W; SWIDER A i testing Officer EDWARD J. BRENNER Commissioner of Patents 

1. IN AN OPHTHALMIC CHAIR OR THE LIKE HAVING A SIDE PORTION, A POST EXTENDING LATERALLY FROM SAID SIDE PORTION, AN ARM REST PIVOTALLY MOUNTED AT ONE END THEREOF TO SAID POST FOR MOVEMENT BETWEEN A GENERALLY HORIZONTAL OPERATIVE POSITION AND A GENERALLY VERTICAL OUT-OF-THE-WAY POSITION, SAID POST BEING INCLINED UPWARDLY FROM SAID SIDE PORTION TO LATERALLY INWARDLY DEFLECT SAID ARM REST AS IT IS MOVED TOWARD THE STATED OUT-OF-THE-WAY POSITION, SAID ARM REST COMPRISING A HOUSING INCLUDING AN UPPER PORTION AND A LOWER PORTION, SAID UPPER PORTION BEING OF A LENGTH GREATER THAN SAID LOWER PORTION SO AS TO EXTEND THEREBEYOND, FRICTION MEANS WITHIN SAID HOUSING FOR RETANING SAID ARM REST IN ADJUSTED POSITIONS THEREOF, AND RELEASE MECHANISM FOR SAID FRICTION MEANS, SAID RELEASE MECHANISM INCLUDING A FINGER TAB PORTION POSITIONED BELOW SAID UPPER PORTION AND BEYOND SAID LOWER PORTION. 